1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly, to a vehicle seat with an adjustable upper seat portion and/or restraint harness.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Minimum performance standards for vehicle seats have been established to ensure a reasonable degree of safety for a seat occupant. In the case where the vehicle seats are intended for children, the performance standards address the need for providing the child with a seat restraint that is compatible with the child""s size. It is therefore often necessary for parents to purchase more than one child restraint to accommodate the growth of the child.
In the context of automobile seats, the more common variety of child restraint systems are referred to as add-on child restraints. This variety of child restraint includes a seat body that is secured to the vehicle-supplied seat by either a vehicle lap belt or a combination vehicle lap and shoulder belt. In recent years, a universal restraint system has been adopted. The universal restraint system refers to a restraint system whereby the seat body is secured directly to vehicle supplied anchorage points located along the seat bight (i.e., the intersection between the seat pan and upper seatback) and rear parcel shelf.
Two classes of the xe2x80x9cadd-onxe2x80x9d variety of child restraints are referred to as forward (or rearward) facing car seats with attached harness and belt-positioning booster seats. Car seats with an attached harness have an independently adjustable harness secured to the seat body. A belt positioning booster seat refers to a child restraint that uses the vehicle supplied shoulder and lap belt for restraining the child in the seat.
Existing add-on child restraints will typically include devices for adjusting the vehicle belt restraint and/or attached harness size to accommodate a child""s size. These restraint systems may also include separate support cushions for the head, neck and/or side torso which help to support the smaller child passenger. However, the support cushions must be independently adjusted relative to the seat and/or restraining harness. As a result, the various supporting portions of a child restraint which require adjustment to accommodate the size of the child have caused child restraint use to become unnecessarily complicated.
As a result of these and other drawbacks and limitations in vehicle seats, there exists a need for a vehicle seat that is easily adjustable to accommodate a wide range of passenger sizes.
The invention satisfies these needs while avoiding the problems and disadvantages in existing vehicle seats by providing a vehicle seat that is easily adjustable to accommodate a wide range of passenger sizes. In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a car seat securable to a vehicle seat by, e.g., a vehicle supplied lap belt. The car seat includes a seat body, body support and cam. The seat body includes an upper seatback defining an upper seating area disposed between left and right forwardly extending side walls. The upper seating area supports the upper torso of a seated passenger. The body support includes left and right sides defining respectively, left and right side supports for the seated passenger. The cam adjusts the left side support relative to said right side support when the body support is vertically repositioned relative to the seat body. The car seat may include an upper seat portion coupled to the body support and may further include a headrest formed with the upper seat portion to provide an adjustable headrest and a pair of left and right slots for vertical adjustment of a pair of shoulder belt restraints. In this latter embodiment, the seat provides a headrest, shoulder belt and left and right body support which are simultaneously adjustable to accommodate a passenger""s seating requirements.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for configuring a vehicle seat from a belt positioning booster seat mode appropriate for restraining an occupant of a first size in a vehicle seat, to an attached harness vehicle seat mode appropriate for restraining an occupant of a second size in a vehicle seat, the method including the steps of securing the occupant harness to the seat body, connecting a body support to the seat body, seating the occupant in the vehicle seat, and adjusting the body support""s left lateral support surface relative to the right lateral support surface within one of a first range associated with a first size and a second range associated with the second size by vertically adjusting the body support relative to the seat body.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle seat that is easily convertible to accommodate a wide variety of occupant sizes by providing a user handle for adjusting the headrest for either a booster seat or a forward facing car seat with attached harness, and/or for simultaneous adjustment of a headrest and body support for a forward facing car seat with attached harness.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a coupling assembly for a vehicle seat that permits adjustment of an upper seat portion including a headrest. The coupling assembly is configurable between a fixed coupling fixing the upper seat portion relative to the seat body and a movable coupling permitting vertical adjustment of the upper seat portion relative to said seat body. The coupling assembly includes a first connector disposed on the upper seat portion, a second connector disposed on the seatback for engaging the first connector, wherein when the second connector is engaged with the first connector the coupling assembly is configured as the fixed coupling, and a cam for displacing one of the first connector and the second connector relative to the other of the first connector and the second connector so as to configure the coupling assembly from the fixed coupling to the movable coupling.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle seat with increased comfort through easy (ergonomic) adjustment while maintaining efficient force management in all adjustment positions.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an adjustable vehicle seat that is particularly well suited as a child restraint system for an automobile passenger seat, but which may also be used in adult seating locations such as amusement park rides.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle seat having a high degree of adjustability for accommodating a range of seat occupants using a minimal number of independently adjusted parts.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle seat adjustment mechanism that promotes proper use of a vehicle seat for a range of passenger sizes.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an adjustable child""s car seat defining a first range of adjustment positions suitable for the car seat when configured as a forward facing car seat with attached harness, and a second, extended range of adjustment positions suitable for the car seat when configured as a belt positioning booster seat.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.